Hi Jess, I think you've made a pretty wise insight. Sometimes we try something and realise that it is not something we want or are prepared for just now. Only you can make the decision on what is right for you, but maybe it's time to take a moment to think about what kinds of activities you do and d...

Hi Jess, Generally, when condoms break they do so in a pretty obvious rip or split. You mentioned you don't use lube but it is one of the best ways to make extra sure your condom stays intact - and a lot of people find it feels better too! Why not look at this article for a quick refresher? Condom B...

omg I LOVE Becky Chambers! You've picked out a couple of things I really enjoyed about the books :) Also, whilst the second book is not focused on an LGBT storyline, I think that the journey of the protagonist is a great exploration of identity, personhood and (self-)acceptance when who you are is n...

Hi Jasther, If you're having problems with condoms slipping off, it might be that you need to try a different size or brand. Condoms that fit well are less likely to slip or break, especially when used with a bit of water based lube as Jacob suggested. You can find out more about all the different c...

Hi rajaman, That line is definitely right! The thing about porn is, it can be enjoyable to watch but it's not a great way to learn about how to have sex. It's kinda like trying to learn about space travel by watching Star Wars; what we're seeing on the screen might be but it doesn't really show real...

Hi Angeldelight, Sounds right to me! If you vomit in the first couple of hours after taking the combined pill then you should take another as soon as possible and then the next one at your usual time. Your protection shouldn't be affected if you don't vomit again :) You can find more info on the com...

Oops, didn't hit refresh before I sent, so missed out on Heather's reply!

Hi Rosie, Welcome to the boards! :) Actually many women prefer external stimulation prefer external stimulation - rubbing - to internal things like fingering. It's your body so you're best placed to decide what feels good for you, there's no "right" way to do it. If penetration isn't somet...

Hi Blokesprite! I just wanted to butt-in on the subject of short-term romantic relationships. Heather is totally right, saying to someone from the beginning "this relationship is important to me here and now, and I also believe it will be short term" is a very real option. Acknowledging th...

Hi :) Masturbation is not something we need to be ashamed about! It's a perfectly normal thing for people of all genders and ages to be doing. Everyone masturbates differently, and in the end it's about what feels good for you and your body, so experimenting to find what we like is the only way any ...

Hi Cor Penises come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and it's really common for any one penis to vary a lot between it's most flaccid and most erect states. Plenty of people have a flaccid penis size similar to yours - in fact there is an article here all about how different penises can be: Sh...

This is a lovely thread Sam :) The long-term future seems pretty big and scary right now. I moved abroad over summer and have some short- medium-term things to look forward to related to that, in approximate chronological order: - phoning a good friend this afternoon: we bring out what is best in ea...

Hi Maeve :) I know that feeling, I used to worry about my appearance and my small breasts and not looking like the girls you see in magazines, which made the idea of being intimate with someone hard. My body hasn't changed since then, but how I feel about it has changed a lot. It's hard when we don'...

I met my first boyfriend in school, and my second was on the same course as my flatmate in university. Since leaving education and moving into the workplace I've had to be a bit more intentional about meeting new people (not just for dating!). I've done some Tinder/online dating which has mostly bee...

Hi Jellyfish, I'm sorry that you had to go through this. How are you now doing now? Do you feel safely away from him? As Iwanthelp says, people trying to pressure us into sex is not okay. If saying No isn't a real option for us then we can't freely give a Yes; that's coercion not consent and in my e...

Hey ameliap I have been there! I found it hard to relate to my friend's experiences of crushes in school because I just was not feeling those things, which made me feel a bit like the odd one out at times, but then I realised that it was only my own expectations that were making me feel strange. Hav...

hey Ihatemyusername, A 35 year old woman cannot possibly know her own body and mind. What if she changes it! What if she has another partner someday who does want kids? How frustrating is having those conversations?! Having children or not is a personal choice and not one that needs to be dissected ...

One of the widely accepted scripts about masturbation still seems to be that it is something only people with penises do and that it is something to be ashamed of...false on both counts!

Since you mentioned your periods were really irregular, was it due to birth control or other factors, and how long did that last? For me it wasn't birth control, my body is just like that, or was for the 4 years I had periods before birth control. Unfortunately we are all so different that using on...

hi chickenkatsu, I know how you feel! I used to be super irregular and the worrying about when my period was going to surprise me next could be stressful. Figuring out what kinds of products suited me best and making sure I was always carrying helped manage that a little. However we feel about them ...

Hey lingerings :) Many people use one form of birth control, and used correctly the condoms and the pill each have over 98% effectiveness. What's more relevant though is how good they are with 'typical use' (because no matter how careful we are, we arent perfect!) which for the combined pill is 91% ...

Hey curly, I remember feeling the way you describe not so long ago. I cared a lot for my best friend but was always a little envious of how easily she seemed to chat to cute guys, and the response she got. It sucked. I get it. Unfortunately we can't magically decide to stop feeling something, but we...

I guess when you're writing using a variety of synonyms adds interest? If you have internet you can use fpr the task I looked for words I'd like to use for genitals I googled "synonyms for [ ]" and found lists entitled things like 178 words for penis. Some of them were bizarre, some hilari...

Yeah, when you're not in school suddenly you aren't mixed in with a huge bunch of potential peers and it feels like meeting new people somehow stops. I've just moved to a new city where I don't know anyone and it was pretty intimidating at first but then last week I started thinking of all the thing...

Glad we could share :) I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that pretty much all our hidden weirdnesses are shared by a whole bunch of other people out there and when we find a safe space and courage to voice them we realise how normal we really are. I found I worried about stuff a lot less when I st...